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S 539 112th Congress Senate

Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011

Official title: A bill to amend the Public Health Services Act and the Social Security Act to extend health information technology assistance eligibility to behavioral health,… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend the Public Health Services Act and the Social Security Act to extend health information technology assistance eligibility to behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse professionals and facilities, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 25, 2011 Introduced by: Whitehouse, Sheldon Democratic · Rhode Island See on congress.gov
Health Behavioral sciencesComputers and information technologyDrug, alcohol, tobacco useHealth facilities and institutions
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Health information and medical recordsHealth programs administration and fundingMedicaidMedicareMental health
This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 10, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mar 10, 2011
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 10, 2011

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the definition of "health care provider" for purposes of health information technology provisions to include a behavioral or mental health professional, a substance abuse professional, a psychiatric hospital, a community mental health center, a residential or outpatient mental health treatment facility, and a substance abuse treatment facility.

Adds community mental health centers, psychiatric hospitals, behavioral and mental health professionals, substance abuse professionals, residential or outpatient mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities to the list of entities with priority for receiving direct assistance from regional extension centers to effectively adopt, implement, and utilize health information technology.

Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include qualified clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, residential or outpatient mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities within the health professionals, hospitals, and Medicaid providers eligible for incentive payments for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Applies Medicare hospital market basket adjustments for such incentives applicable to inpatient hospitals to psychiatric hospitals.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 539: Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-539/
MLA
"S. 539: Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-539/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 539, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-539/.
Markdown link
[S. 539: Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-539/)
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